


A Christmas Promise

by KMD2018



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: AllIWantForChristmasIsCloti, Cloti - Freeform, F/M, FHSecretSanta2020, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KMD2018/pseuds/KMD2018
Summary: Cloud had planned the perfect Christmas Eve proposal. Fate had other ideas.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 22
Kudos: 70





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scribbleness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribbleness/gifts).



> A Secret Santa gift fic for Scribbleness! Their prompt was 'missing engagement ring' and this is what I came up with. Forgive me for being a little cheesey, I've watched one too many Christmas films this year.

“What _happened_?”

Cloud was stood in the doorway to the bar, half-naked, caked in dirt, and covered in blood. His turtleneck vest hung in tatters, sword harness completely gone. His pants were mostly intact, although they sported huge, jagged holes. One boot was missing, as was the glove of the hand that held his sword. He was also visibly, frighteningly _livid_. The Mako in his eyes flashed like headlights, a warning to anyone who stared too long. The whole bar stuttered into silence at the sight, alarmed that the normally stoic Cloud Strife was now stalking in their midst looking like he would snap the spine of anyone who looked at him twice.

Tifa was surprisingly used to seeing Cloud covered in blood. It had not been an uncommon experience on their mission to save the world, especially with larger monsters. The party members had all been caught in the arterial spray of one another’s attacks at some point and while it was generally considered bad form to shower your teammate in the blood of your enemy, it could not always be helped.

However, seeing Cloud covered in this much gore, looking like he had been submerged in a swamp and missing most of his clothes was a shock. Tifa’s eyes flitted down his body, automatically searching for wounds amongst the strips of fabric. Finding no obvious injuries her gaze swept back up, snagging briefly on the edge of his boxers peeking out from under one of the holes in his upper thigh. Surprise battled for relief and without thinking she said the first thing that came to her mind.

“Did something… eat your pants, Cloud?” Her voice seemed loud in the silence of the bar. Cloud met her eyes and his expression shifted slightly. It was a change nobody but those who knew Cloud very well could read, but it made Tifa realise with a pang of guilt that what seemed like anger was actually acute embarrassment. He flushed and walked stiffly past the bar, all eyes following. When the door to their private living quarters was shut, normal conversation slowly resumed. Tifa continued to serve her patrons, brushing off the incident with a smile although she kept glancing at the door, worried. Eventually, she broke off to check on him.

It was not hard to follow the sour stench that led to the downstairs utility room where Tifa found the pile of Cloud’s ruined clothes. Tifa grimaced, holding up what used to be Cloud’s cable knit vest. What on Gaia had stumbled into his path and caused this much carnage? And why did it seem like he had been chewed up and spat back out?

The old water pipes above her head clunked and squealed, indicating someone was in the shower. Poor Cloud, Tifa thought. Whatever had happened, it must be taking some time to scrub out all the gore. Grabbing a black bin bag from under the sink she made quick work of checking pockets for anything valuable before disposing of the destroyed clothes.

XOXOXOXO

Cloud sighed as he stepped out of the shower. The scene from the marshes kept replaying in his mind. It was a stupid decision to take the job in the first place and he knew better than most what the risks were, but he had recently incurred a large debt at the jewellers and the client had offered a handsome sum for the job. It didn’t make sense to refuse what should have been a relatively simple collection task - a couple of kilos of myrthil from the mines on the other side of the marshes. He just needed to avoid the Zolom, something that would be more than possible on Chocobo. The little velvet box from the jewellers weighed heavily in making his decision.

He had almost turned around twice; once when the snow had started to fall in heavy flurries as he drove towards Choco Bill’s ranch and the marshes. By the time he reached it the drifts were six inches deep and growing all the time. He had forged on, reasoning the snow would not settle as deep on the marshes due to the wet, fermenting heat of the place.

The second time was when Choco Bill had told him Goldie, his usual trusted Chocobo, was nesting and therefore not available for rent. Cloud knew taking an untried Chocobo across the marshes was risky at best, fatal at worst. But after Bill had persuaded him with another bird and free greens Cloud had relented. Again, he had thought of the little velvet box stored safely in his pocket.

Cloud was doubting himself again as he entered the marshes. The Chocobo, despite being touted by Bill as hardy and brave, shield and skittered from every stinking, bubbling puddle, khewing despondently as Cloud coaxed her forward. The bird’s hesitancy troubled Cloud and he was debating turning back when the ominous shadow had fallen across both bird and rider. Instantly, Cloud realised what had happened. The Zolom had circled unnoticed behind him while he was distracted with his mount and had reared out of the soft ground with a sucking, hissing spludge of mud. Cloud glanced over his shoulder, confirming his suspicions. The Zolom’s front segment hung at least twenty feet above them, crackling with electrostatic discharge due to the friction caused by its massive bulk suddenly and swiftly surfacing. Rows of sharp teeth encircled a gaping maw like a dark portal to hell.

“Shit.”

It was all Cloud had time to say before the Chocobo shrieked and bolted, only remaining seated thanks to his enhanced reactions as the bird careened across the swampy ground. Cloud tried to guide her in the right direction, hoping to use the sudden spurt of speed to both outrun the Zolom and reach the mines. His hopes were quickly dashed as the panicking bird did not respond to his commands and ran straight across a splash of scree, instantly losing her footing. The Chocobo came crashing down, taking Cloud down with her. The bird rolled over on instinct, crushing Cloud and forcing him to let go. The next instant the bird was back on her feet and running, leaving Cloud alone as the Zolom loomed once again.

Cloud, sprawled out in the mud, watched her go with a sigh, then sat bolt upright with a flush of panic as he quickly patted his pockets. The Zolom’s shadow fell across him again as his hand landed on the small velvet box, still safely in his possession. With another sigh, this time of relief, he rolled to his feet and swung the First Tsuragi from his back, simultaneously activating the materia in his bracer. Air rushed from the Zolom’s gaping mouth, whistling between the rows of teeth in a discordant shriek. Cloud nodded, mostly to himself, then sprang forward into battle.

XOXOXOXO

Tifa smiled warmly when Cloud came back into the bar, skin still pink from scrubbing and hair extra fluffy from being towelled dry. The patrons who had seen him come in stared or gave him a wide berth as he took his usual seat at the bar, but Cloud did not seem to notice. Tifa leaned across the bar to kiss his cheek, making him blush and the ghost of a smile appear on his face. She poured him a double whiskey and slid it into his grateful hands, pausing when he caught her fingers and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. It made her smile brightly as her heart fluttered. Small, affectionate gestures were the lifeblood of their relationship, saying more in one touch than either of them could with a thousand words. She knew, for example, that by the way Cloud had closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to her hand and kept them there a moment longer than usual that he was probably bone-tired, but also was trying to reassure her that he was fine. It was a wordless comfort, a soft bubble of happiness settling in her stomach.

Tifa gave him a bowl of the stew bubbling in the kitchen, a favourite amongst her patrons in the colder winter months. Cloud inhaled it appreciatively, pausing only to receive hugs from Marlene and Denzel as they tumbled into the bar, shaking off snow with happy laughter.

“Have you done all your chores?” Tifa asked them, suppressing a grin as they huffed and moaned. “Santa won’t come unless it’s all done, you know.”

They both instantly straightened, eyes going wide. “We’ve shovelled all the snow! And topped up the coal buckets!” Marlene said.

“And delivered your pie to Miss Marle!” Denzel added. They both looked so innocently hopeful Tifa felt her earlier bubble of happiness expand tenfold.

“Very good. The last thing you need to do is take out the garbage for collection, then you can watch TV before bed.”

The kids skipped off with a whoop, but Denzel turned back to Cloud with a slightly worried look. He hesitated, then came back and said quietly, “Cloud, did you deliver our letters to Santa while you were out?”

Cloud’s expression was deadly serious as he slid off the barstool to kneel at Denzel’s eye level. Tifa fought to keep a straight face, watching the interaction. She bit her lip as Cloud put a hand on Denzel’s shoulder.

“Of course. I put them both right into his hand. In fact, he had a message for you.” Denzel’s eyes widened and his mouth formed a little ‘o’ as Cloud leaned forward and whispered something in his ear. When Cloud leaned back, the little boy had the biggest grin, skipping off delightedly as Cloud stood, returning to his stool with a smile of his own. Tifa’s bubble of happiness threatened to burst right out her chest, so she distracted herself by attending to her customers. When she could look at Cloud without wanting to either ravish him on the spot or squeal her joy, she topped up his whiskey and lent forward.

“What did you tell Denzel?” she whispered. Cloud leaned forward too and gave her a solemn look.

“Sorry. Client confidentiality. That’s between Santa and Denzel.”

Tifa could not stop the grin on her face this time. She felt like it would split her open and all her happiness and love for this man and her little family spill out. Maybe it was the festive season, adding an extra layer of joy to everything like the snow outside, or maybe it was the secret she was carrying within herself. Either way, she had never been happier. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and the perfect time to tell him and the kids. For now, she would let Cloud keep his secret with Denzel. After all, she already had her own.

“Fine, Mr. Delivery Boy. Did Santa have any messages for me?”

Cloud raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. “Only that I’ve been a very good boy this year and should be treated accordingly.”

Tifa felt the heat begin to pool in her stomach and she inched just a little closer. “Hmm. Is that so…?” Cloud was staring at her lips. She shifted slightly and his gaze flicked down to her cleavage. The heat in her belly rose a few notches. “Well, I don’t know where Santa has been getting his information because I know you’ve been a very _bad_ -”

“TEEEFA! WE’RE DONE NOW!” Both adults jumped apart, blushing furiously. Marlene and Denzel were shouting from the doorway, scrambling out of their coats and gloves in a race to the living room. It was the rule that whoever sat down first got control of the remote.

“Slow down!” Tifa called after them in vain, both kids having already rushed past her to the living quarters. She looked at the trail of snow and grit they had left behind, realising with a sigh that the slush was turning pink from where Cloud had also walked in blood and muck earlier. That was going to be hell to clean up. She turned back to Cloud who had followed her gaze. He was nervously scratching the back of his neck, still a little red from blushing. He met her eyes with a wince of apology.

“I’ll get a mop.” He said, making to stand. Tifa caught his arm, stopping him.

“Wait, can I ask… what happened?” She was not sure if Cloud would want to talk about it. The look he had on his face earlier had been thunderous with embarrassment. Cloud shifted, mortification creeping back into his features. Then he sighed and sat down. Tifa took it as a good sign and released his arm, waiting.

XOXOXOXO

How did he even begin? Cloud decided to just jump straight in. Hopefully, the shock of the truth would distract from the reasons he was in that situation to begin with.

“I got swallowed by a Zolom.” He said simply.

It seemed to do the trick. Tifa froze, her jaw-dropping open slightly as she stared at him. Despite his embarrassment, a small part of Cloud did enjoy her astonishment. It was a rare thing to see the normally poised, calm Tifa Lockhart too shocked for speech.

“How – why – did you – but – are you okay?” she finally managed, searching his face. Cloud nodded, reaching out for a hand to reassure her. His gentle squeeze was returned with a death grip. She was still floundering for words and Cloud felt a tinge of guilt as she tried to process everything.

“My Chocobo dumped me and bolted. The Zolom must have been hungry because it just swooped down and… well, ate me. I had one of the mastered Cures with me though. And several Ethers. I’m a little drained, but fine.”

“How did you… escape?” Tifa looked like she already knew the answer but needed to hear him say it out loud.

“I… cut my way out,” Cloud admitted. “It was a little… messy.”

Tifa barked out a laugh of disbelief. “Messy is an understatement.”

Cloud smiled tentatively, hoping her laughter meant he was off the hook. “Promise I’ll clean up.”

However, Tifa’s smile faded as she glanced over at the trail of destruction again. “Cloud… Why were you in the marshes in the first place? I thought you said those jobs weren’t worth the risk.”

She was frowning at him now, her beauty marred by lines of worry. The guilt in his stomach doubled in size as he desperately searched for an answer. He could not tell her the truth, that the money from the job would go some way to paying off the jeweller for the engagement ring he had bought.

“Um…” he started eloquently. “Santa told me to…?” the joke was weak and fell flat, Tifa’s frown turning ferocious. She opened her mouth and Cloud could sense the lecture building, already feeling the lash of her words. He braced himself for the onslaught when suddenly all the air seemed to puff out of Tifa in one big breath.

“You’re an idiot.” She said, shaking her head. Cloud blinked in disbelief, but Tifa was leaning over again, cupping his jaw and thumbing his cheek.

“An absolute idiot.” She repeated, then smiled. “But you’re my idiot, and nothing in this world can stop you.” And with that, she kissed him. Cloud felt relief and love wash through him in that sweet kiss, but by the time he had enough wherewithal to respond Tifa was already moving down the bar to serve some customers. He grinned sheepishly until she called back down to him.

“But the next time you decide to get eaten whole by a monster, take a spare pair of pants so you don’t drag so much crap inside my bar, Strife. You came in stinking worse than one of Corneo’s sewer pets.”

Cloud cringed as several regulars laughed, smarting again with embarrassment. He may have somehow escaped a public lecture, but Tifa was not above ridicule. Her comment however pricked something in the back of his mind, and he froze as understanding slowly trickled in. Pants. His pants. His pockets. The ring.

Without warning he jumped up and dashed into the back, missing the looks from Tifa and the customers. His stomach dropped when he found the utility room clean and empty of his ruined clothes. He meant to come straight down after his shower and sort it out, but the thought slipped his mind in favour of seeing Tifa and getting a hot meal.

“Everything alright, Cloud?” Tifa poked her head around the door, looking at him with concern. Cloud panicked, trying to figure out what to say.

“Did you… clean my clothes?” he asked.

“I didn’t bother. They were ruined so I chucked them straight in the trash.”

“Oh.” _Shit shit shit shit._ “Right. Yeah. Thanks. I’ll just get a mop for the bar, then.”

Tifa nodded and went back out, leaving Cloud stood awkwardly next to the washer. As soon as Tifa disappeared he went straight to the rubbish bin and nearly ripped off the lid, dismayed when he found it empty, a fresh liner tucked neatly in. 

_The kids!_ Cloud suddenly remembered Tifa asking the kids to take the trash out. Without trying to raise suspicion Cloud hurriedly filled a mop bucket to clean the bar, sopping up the snow, blood, and grit as fast as seemed normal as he worked his way to the front entrance of the bar. When he reached it, he casually stepped out, closing the door fully before dashing to the big wheelie bin on the pavement, awaiting the fortnightly trash collection. The lid banged opened with a hollow sound, and Cloud swore out loud to find this bin also empty, looking up to see the flashing lights of the garbage truck driving away, turning the corner at the end of the street.

Cloud debated running straight after it, even taking a few steps before hesitating. Tifa’s words flitted through his head and he dashed back inside, trying to seem completely normal as he headed towards the back. He came back into the bar with his messenger bag slung casually over his shoulder.

“I’m running into town to pick up a last-minute delivery job. Won’t be long.”

Tifa gave him a quizzical look but kissed him lightly. “Don’t push yourself, Cloud. Will you be back tonight?”

Cloud nodded and plucked a coat from the rack, waving as he exited the bar. Once outside, he sprinted down the sidewalk, heading in the direction of the garbage truck. He berated himself endlessly as he ran, cursing himself for being so stupid and leaving the ring in his clothes. He should have known Tifa would be her usual caring self and clean up the mess. She was right, he was an idiot.

He caught up with the garbage truck a few streets later, awkwardly trying to flag down the driver. The woman gave him an incredulous look as he tried to explain.

“You threw _what_ away?”

“My engagement ring. It was an accident. Please could I… Um, look for it?”

The woman stared at him for a moment, then sighed as she opened the door and hopped down to the pavement. Cloud felt a flood of relief as she ambled to the back of the truck and yanked down a ladder. “Guess I’ve heard worse. Go wild, just don’t blame me if you don’t find it.”

Cloud wasted no time climbing the ladder, although he did hesitate slightly at the top. The smell of the garbage hit him, and he cringed at the sight of the disgusting heap. While debating where to start, the driver called out from the sidewalk. “Hurry up son, I ain’t got all night!” and with a shrug, Cloud slowly lowered himself into the steaming piles.

He tried not to think about the sludge that was slowly leaking into his pants as he picked through discarded banana skins, plastic waste, and unidentifiable junk. It was weirdly warm, contrasting to the cold, snowy night and steam wafted its unwelcome reek up his nostrils. He reminded himself that he had recently been inside the trachea of a monster and that this was a field of daisies by comparison, soldiering on until he saw a wrapper of the kind of sweets Denzel favoured. He delved down, coming across a bunch of soiled serviettes with the bar’s logo on and feeling a spark of hope. Suddenly he ripped open a sealed bag revealing his ruined clothes, an extra stench of rot assaulting him. With increased speed he searched the scraps of fabric, going over them twice when he failed to find any little velvet boxes.

“Find anything?” The woman was at the top of the ladder, watching him with what Cloud hoped wasn’t pity. Dejectedly he shook his head, trying the pockets of what used to be his pants one last time. “Too bad, boyo. Time’s up.”

Cloud grimaced, accepting defeat. He pulled himself out of the rubbish with a squelch, feeling angry and hopeless. When he was back on the side of the road, the woman raised her hand to pat his back in sympathy but took one look at the sludge and thought better of it. “I’m sorry, son. But you know it’s just a ring, right? Not anything you can’t replace.”

Cloud sighed, thinking about replacing the ring. Thinking of the cost. About what he had gone through for the cost of that ring.

The woman, taking his sigh as agreement, warmed to her theme. “Now what you can’t replace is family, and spending time with them. Especially at this time of year. You should be tucked up with the person you wanna give that ring to, not trawling through rubbish on a cold sidewalk. Isn’t that more important?”

Cloud had stopped listening, his thoughts chasing down a very different path. He was suddenly backtracking, thinking about the last time he was sure the little velvet box was in his possession. It was right before… right before the Zolom attacked. Had he checked since then? He had been in too much pain, exhausted using so much magic, angry at the Chocobo for being flighty, angry at Choco Bill for recommending her. He was disgusted with the mess and above all angry at himself. He’d then had to walk for miles across the marshes, losing a boot to the bog halfway back… but had he checked his pockets for the ring?

Shit.

He had not checked. That meant one thing. He knew exactly where the ring was, and it was _not_ going to be pleasant to retrieve. Did he have enough time? He was mentally calculating the journey when he realised the driver was still talking to him, making him jump as she waved a hand in his face.

“You listening to me? I was saying, you know she’d still love you without the ring, right? A marriage is more than-”

“Yeah. Of course. Thanks for… letting me…” Cloud waved in the direction of the truck, starting to step away. His thoughts were already out in the marshes, but he did turn around and call out to the driver.

“Merry Christmas!”

She was climbing back into the truck, mumbling under her breath. “Merry Christmas, you bloody idiot.”

XOXOXOXO

Tifa was worried again. Cloud had been out for hours, with no signs of returning. His PHS was going straight to voicemail, although Tifa assumed he had probably lost it during his ordeal with the Zolom. The kid’s bedtime came and went. They were disappointed that Cloud was not there to say goodnight. Denzel in particular was upset, asking her a few times if she knew when Cloud would be back. That worried her too. Geostigma, although behind them, was still a trauma that weighed heavily on them all. She reassured Denzel as best she could, but as she switched off the light and pulled the door gently closed, she knew the little boy was tossing and turning, fretting about his hero.

Last call was rung, still Cloud did not come home.

Tifa closed the bar, dragging out the usual cleaning. She swept the bar twice, polished every glass out of the dishwasher, even switched kegs and did a quick stock count, all to keep her distracted and busy while she waited. Eventually, there was nothing else to do and she sat down with her accounts but could not focus on the numbers. She found herself tapping the pen and staring into space, reminded suddenly of all the nights she would wait up for Cloud when he was going through Geostigma. That had been one of the darkest periods of her life, not knowing where Cloud was or if he was even alive, trying to keep a business afloat during a pandemic while looking after two kids, one of whom she was slowly losing to the disease. Aerith’s rain may have cleansed the earth, but the trauma would not be so easily removed from her heart. She thought Cloud understood this. He had sacrificed so much during that period too. They had worked through so much since then, developing a better understanding of themselves and each other. Was it wrong of her to be angry at him now for simply being late home? Was she jumping to conclusions thinking he was in mortal peril somewhere when only this morning he had proved even a Zolom could not stop him?

She put the books away with a sigh and sat on the couch, aimlessly flicking through the channels. Occasionally she would catch part of a Christmas film but quickly flicked past it, the saccharine sweetness not matching her mood. She rested her hand over her stomach, gently rubbing circles. “He’s coming home.” She murmured. Slowly her eyes began to drift closed…

Tifa woke to strong arms lifting her. She shifted, laying her head against a firm shoulder.  
“You still stink.” She mumbled sleepily but otherwise did not protest as Cloud carried her up the stairs to bed. He manoeuvred her under the covers, then drew away. As he did, she reached out to grasp him, catching hold of his arm. “Where you going?” she said, panic rousing her slightly.

“To shower. I stink, remember?” Cloud murmured gently, and Tifa let him go. She drifted back into sleep, but not before she caught Cloud’s last line. “At least I remembered the spare pants this time.”

XOXOXOXO

Cloud woke alone in bed. He rolled over to find Tifa’s side still warm and pushed up on his elbows, yawning deeply as he looked about the room. He heard a toilet flushing, followed by the sound of Tifa brushing her teeth in the hall bathroom. The events of the day before came rushing back to him and he shuddered, immediately trying to repress everything. It had not been a pleasant one, and the worst thing was that he still had not found the ring, despite wading knee-deep in trash and poking about a dead Zolom. He had found the beast just as it began to disintegrate and return to the earth, gently flaking into a million glittering fragments of the lifestream as all monsters eventually did. He had hoped the ring might be left behind as most non-organic items that monsters consumed were, but all he found amongst the fading fragments was a few potions and a ‘Luck’ materia. The irony was not lost on him.

Slowly swinging his feet to the floor, Cloud groaned and put his head in his hands. Today was Christmas Eve, the day he planned to propose. It would have been perfect. They all opened one present on Christmas Eve from under the tree. The kids would have opened theirs first, the lights of the Christmas tree twinkling above their happy little faces, the fire casting a warm orange glow, Tifa opening her present to reveal the ring… He had been planning this for months. He had rehearsed what he was going to say, practicing over and over on long delivery drives. Even Barret was in on it, Cloud having asked him for a blessing and reducing the huge man to a blubbering mess, choking out praise and threats in equal measure.

And now, he had no ring. All that time wasted. All that planning for nothing. A thumping of little feet sounded down the hall and Cloud had little warning before Marlene and Denzel burst in, jumping straight onto the bed.

“Cloud! You’re home!” Marlene cried, hugging his back fiercely. Denzel came to sit beside Cloud on the edge of the bed, putting a hand on his arm and looking up with big eyes.

“We were worried Cloud. You didn’t come home last night.”

Cloud’s heart dropped, guilt blooming in its place. He hated letting the kids down, possibly even more than disappointing Tifa.

With a sigh Cloud wrapped an arm around Denzel, gently pulling Marlene to his other side and wrapping an arm around her. “I’m sorry guys. I… I got caught up in something. It wasn’t important and I should have been home last night instead. I’m sorry I made you worry.”

The kids hugged him back, their little arms tight around him.

“S’okay Cloud. We’re just happy you’re home.”

Cloud felt a deep sadness at Marlene’s words, recalling her saying something similar when he came home after being cured of Geostigma. Had he learnt nothing? He was determined to make it up to them today.

“Yeah Cloud, we were waiting for you to come to say goodnight because-” Denzel was interrupted by Marlene, calling brightly over her shoulder to Tifa, who stood watching them in the doorway with a smile. “Morning Tifa!”

“Morning Marlene. Did you guys sleep well?”

They nodded, and Cloud turned back to Denzel expectantly. The small boy looked at Tifa, then at Marlene, starting his sentence again slowly “We wanted you to come to say goodnight because… because….”

“We wanted to ask you to play in the snow with us today!” Marlene finished excitedly. “It’s snowed all night and there’s so much out there! Have you seen it? We could make snowmen and play snowball fights and make snow angels…”

Cloud chuckled, listening to Marlene rhyme off all the activities in her eager way. “Sure Marlene. Let’s have breakfast and we can all go outside and play. All day, if you want.”

So it was that Cloud, Tifa, and the kids ended up playing in the snow for most of the morning, until rosy-cheeked and starting to shiver, they tramped back into the bar for lunch. Cloud watched as Tifa helped tug off gloves and brush snow out of hair, laughing as Marlene shucked her coat with a clever little pirouette. He smiled, enjoying his little family. It suddenly struck him how happy he was, right at that moment. He was with the people he loved, spending time in the best possible way. And there was not a single expensive velvet box in sight.

Tifa sent the kids to dress the table and Cloud followed her into the kitchen to help prepare the food. While she reached up into cupboards, Cloud came up behind her, placing one hand either side of her on the counter. He gently nosed her hair, taking in the scent of lavender and snow, toothpaste, and Tifa. She smelt just like home.

Tifa chuckled, pausing her work as Cloud’s hands slid across her front, one resting on her belly. She gasped a little, but Cloud did not notice. He was too busy holding her, realising for the first time in months how much importance he had placed on that stupid ring when everything he needed was already here. Love wasn’t a velvet box or shiny piece of metal, nor was it words rehearsed over and over until they were pretty much meaningless. Chasing those things only led to adventures in stinking garbage trucks or marshes and long, lonely drives away from those he cherished the most.

“How d’you put up with me?” Cloud mumbled into Tifa’s hair, feeling her laugh again as she turned in his arms.

“Because, silly. You’re Cloud Strife and I love you.”

Cloud grinned, leaning in to kiss her. “I love you too.”

Suddenly it was clear, if not completely obvious. Love was a promise, a wordless one, one to renew every single day through thoughts and actions. If there was one thing Cloud knew how to keep, it was a promise. Everything was suddenly quite simple.

“Tifa?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“Marry me?”

He felt her gasp and draw back, eyes wide as she looked him straight in the eyes.

“Did you just say…?”

He smiled and nodded, watching as tears formed in her eyes and she began laughing with joy. Suddenly she was kissing him, flinging her arms around his neck and making him stumble back. His words held a promise. Her actions answered.

Tifa drew back, her face the picture of happiness. “Cloud, I was going to wait until tonight to tell you-” she paused, gathering herself and wiping away tears. “Oh, wait! I wanted the kids here too. Let’s go to the table.”

Puzzled, Cloud was led by Tifa to the table where Marlene and Denzel sat waiting, chattering. They looked curiously at Tifa’s wet eyes, huge smile, and Cloud’s bemused face.

“I wanted to tell everyone, all together.” Tifa started, before bursting into tears again. Marlene jumped up, concerned, but Tifa just smiled and pulled the little girl into her lap. She looked at Cloud and Denzel.

“Sorry. I think it’s the hormones. I’m… I’m pregnant!”

Marlene squealed, Denzel gasped and Cloud stared, dumbfounded. All he heard was white noise for a moment, before slowly becoming aware of Denzel tugging on his sleeve. He looked down to find the little boy shyly holding something out to him. It was a little velvet box, stained but scrubbed clean.

“How?” Was all Cloud could manage. He picked it up, marvelling at how small it was. In his head, it had somehow grown bigger while missing.

“It was in the trash with your clothes. We wanted to return it last night, but you didn’t come home. And then we were going to give it back this morning but Tifa was there and we knew it should be a surprise, so we kept it hidden. But now, I think you need it.”

Cloud could only laugh. He popped the lid carefully, finding the ring bright and shining inside. He looked over at Tifa who was still holding Marlene, both staring right back at him with a mixture of mirth and joy.

“Well, Cloud!” Marlene piped up. “Ask her! You should be on one knee, you know.”

Cloud looked at Tifa. She was glowing with joy, from the crown of her mussed chocolate hair to the tips of her socked feet. It spilled out her ruby eyes and sprang from full, wonderful lips. She showed it with hands so long used to fighting, now used to soothe and nurture, holding this family together with her eternal strength. She was brighter than any diamond, a jewel all of her own. She was the living embodiment of a promise. She smiled at him, and he knew exactly what to do.  


With a grin at Denzel, he snapped the ring box shut. “Thanks, Denz, for taking care of this. But it turns out you don’t need a ring when you love someone as much as I do Tifa. I already asked her.”

Marlene gasped, scandalized. She spun in Tifa’s lap. “Without us! What did you say?”

“Of course, I said yes.”


	2. Epilouge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to round this off, it felt a little unfinished when I published the first chapter!

Boxing day morning found Denzel and Marlene up first, sneaking downstairs to raid the fridge for the Christmas pudding leftovers. Tifa would not like them scoffing the pudding for breakfast, but the rich gooey goodness was worth the risk. As they tiptoed down the hall they heard Barret’s baritone snores coming from Cloud’s office, making Marlene giggle. Denzel shushed her and they continued past Tifa and Cloud’s room. The door was firmly shut, and a few light noises could be heard as they both hurried past, socked feet shuffling down the stairs.

Denzel kept a lookout while Marlene fetched a stepping stool and plundered the fridge. While she dug around, Denzel stared at the stairs thoughtfully, mulling over a question he’d had since Christmas Eve.

“Marlene,” he eventually said. “should we tell them?”

Marlene was waist-deep in the fridge, rustling around trays and Tupperware boxes filled with leftovers and did not answer him. She gave a quiet whoop and backed out with her prize, her victory smile dropping at the sight of Denzel’s frown. “Hmm? Tell who what?” she asked.

“You know.” Denzel’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Tell Cloud and Tifa. About them.” He glanced over his shoulder, but the stairs were still silent and clear of adults. Marlene sighed and held out the heavy bowl with the remains of the Christmas pudding. Denzel took it and Marlene stepped down, folding the small stool away neatly. In that moment, she seemed just like a miniature Tifa, hands on her hips as she glared at Denzel. He almost felt guilty for holding the pudding.

“C’mon. Let’s go eat on the couch.” Marlene grabbed two spoons and led the way into the living room, another infraction. Tifa would kill them if she knew they were eating in there instead of at the table, but Marlene must have been feeling bold. Or she wanted to distract Denzel and not answer the question. It did not work as Denzel asked again once they were seated comfortably, the big bowl between them.

“Marl, what if they wanted to know? I mean, if my parents were hanging around then I would wanna know…”

Marlene made a frustrated sound. “Denz! They are not just hanging around, waiting to talk to Cloud and Tifa. If they wanted to, they could… I think. Didn’t Cloud say he saw them in the church once?”

Denzel took a huge mouthful and chewed thoughtfully, the syrupy goodness flooding his veins.

“Maybe. But what if they can’t like, always be here? So they talk to you instead?”

“They do not talk to me! I can’t even see them! It’s just… just…” Marlene waved the spoon around for a moment before plunging it into the pudding and scooping up a mouthful. She stuffed it in and chewed, trying to find the right words. Denzel waited as she swallowed and cleared her throat.

“It’s more like a feeling. Or a poke. You turn around and nobody is there, but you know who it was because you… feel it. And then you know what to do. That’s all.”

“So that’s how you knew to check Cloud’s clothes before we threw them out.”

Marlene shrugged, taking another big bite. “S’pose.”

“But why wouldn’t you want to tell-”

“Denz! Shut up! Can’t we just watch cartoons?”

Denzel huffed, slightly hurt, but he did let the subject drop. After a few minutes Marlene glanced at him, looking slightly contrite. She nudged the last big bit of pudding to Denzel. He shook his head, watching the cartoons.

After another minute, Marlene could not take the silent treatment any longer.

“I’m sorry Denzel. I just… the flower lady and the other guy… they don’t come often. I think I’ve felt them like… two times. If Cloud and Tifa asked, I couldn’t exactly do anything. Not as if I can control it. I don’t even know if it’s real.”

Denzel shifted, his expression softening. “It is real. I saw the guy once, remember? He was playing at riding Cloud’s bike. I couldn’t hear him, but it looked like he was making the noises and everything.”

“Yeah.” Marlene said quietly.

“S’okay Marl. We don’t have to say anything if you want.”

“Thanks Denzel. Maybe one day.”

_Somewhere, in a field of yellow flowers, one outraged angel turns to another.  
_

_“He saw you pretending to ride Cloud’s bike?!”_

_“What? It’s a cool bike! I didn’t know anyone was watching!”_

_“Idiot.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, wouldn't be a Christmas tale without a few ghosts now would it? I'm already thinking of a rewrite for next festive season as I did rather rush this one. Thank you for reading!


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